ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the role of law in human health and society, with an emphasis on the application of human rights law as an advocacy tool in the health-care sphere. The emergence of human rights law has had a significant impact on human health, yet human rights do not provide the “answer” to every health-care dilemma. Often, a balancing of rights is necessary and there might not always be a clear solution. The chapter illustrates this through consideration of the area of assisted human reproduction, where the human rights of children and adults must be appropriately balanced, and the outcome will often depend on the social, cultural, and political context in which in the balancing exercise takes place. Public engagement can also be influential and so the chapter concludes with examples of ways in which society can influence the development of law and policy.
